WDW Daily News

Disney® Visa® Cardmembers can save up to 30% on select rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® &  Spa at the Disneyland Resort!¹ Cardmembers can save when booking select rooms at the Disneyland® Resort most Sunday through Thursday nights from Oct. 13 to Dec. 19, 2019. Guests can take advantage of Cardmember advance booking with their Disney® Visa® Debit Card now through Sept. 11, 2019. 

Number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel. Premium room types include Premium, Deluxe and Woods/Garden/Courtyard rooms; select Concierge rooms; and Artisan Junior and Family suites. Not valid on previously booked rooms. 1 night minimum stay. See important details below.¹ 

1. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel for travel most Sunday through Thursday nights during the applicable dates between October 13 through December 19, 2019. Book from September 5 through December 5, 2019; travel must be completed by December 20, 2019. Premium room types included in this offer are Premium, Deluxe and Woods/Garden/Courtyard rooms; select Concierge rooms; and only Artisan, Junior and Family suites. Must mention the offer when booking and use a valid Disney Visa Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card to pay the deposit. Not valid on previously booked rooms. Advance reservations required. Subject to availability as the number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Excludes applicable fees and taxes. Disney Visa Cardmember must stay in the room. Limit two (2) rooms per reservation and occupancy restrictions apply per room. Not valid in combination with any other hotel discounts or offers. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Separate Theme Park admission required to enjoy the Parks.

2. The current Extra Magic Hour schedule allows registered Resort hotel Guests access to one park on select days: Disneyland^® Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and Disney California Adventure^® Park on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Check Disneyland.com for schedule of when each park offers Extra Magic Hour. For admission, each registered hotel Guest (ages 3 and older) must have a valid theme park ticket and an active hotel room key card. To take full advantage of the Extra Magic Hour experience, we strongly recommended that you arrive at least one hour and 15 minutes prior to regular park opening. Applicable theme park days and times of operation and all other elements including, but not limited to, operation of attractions, entertainment, stores and restaurants and appearances of Characters may vary and are subject to change without notice. Subject to capacity, cancellation and other restrictions.

3. Offers and offer elements including, but not limited to, participating locations and eligible items, are subject to availability and additional restrictions and exclusions, and may change or be canceled without notice. Must use a valid Disney Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card to receive special offers. Merchandise discount may not be available for certain items and at certain locations including Disneyland^® Resort and Walt Disney World^® Resort Operating Participant locations and any other locations or kiosks that are not owned or operated by the owners of the Disneyland^® Resort or Walt Disney World^® Resort. To receive a merchandise discount, you must mention the specific offer. For entry into the Disney Character Experience or Star Wars Character Experience Photo Opportunities, must present your valid Disney Visa Card. Not valid in combination with other offers, discounts, promotions or with any previous purchase. Minimum purchase and/or separate admission may be required. Offers are for personal use only and may not be transferred or resold. Please visitDisneyDebit.com/Perks for full terms and conditions for each offer. Chase is not responsible or liable for fulfillment of these Disney Theme Park and Resort perks.

4. The Character Experience Photo Opportunities are offered daily during set hours–the Disney Character Experience is at Disney California Adventure^® Park and the Star Wars Character Experience is at Disneyland^®Park. Separate Theme Park admission required for each Character Experience Opportunity. Must present a valid Disney Visa Card for entry for up to 6 people per cardmember account (each cardmember account may be used for entry only one time per day). Operating times, days of the week, locations and appearance of Characters may vary and are subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice. Offer includes complimentary downloads of your Disney PhotoPass^® photos taken at the Disney Visa Character Experience location that are associated to your Disney account. To access complimentary downloads of your Disney PhotoPass^® photos taken at the Disney Visa Character Experience location, go to Disneyland.com/photopass and log-in using your existing account or create an account. Any medium scanned by the photographer at the time of capture must be linked to your Disney account or you may claim Disney PhotoPass^® cards provided to you by the photographer by entering the Disney PhotoPass^® ID number found on the back of your Disney PhotoPass^® card. One photo session per valid cardmember account per day. Offer not valid for photos taken at other Disney PhotoPass^® locations or attractions photos. Photos will expire pursuant to the expiration policy atDisneyland.disney.go.com/photopass-expiration-policy. Not responsible for missing, lost or damaged photos. Not valid in combination with other offers, discounts or promotions. Offer is for personal use only and may not be transferred or resold. Please visit DisneyDebit.com/Perks for additional information.

Offer made by Disney. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and its affiliates are not affiliates of Disney and are not responsible for offer fulfillment.

For all inquiries regarding the Disney Debit Card, please visit DisneyDebit.com.

Great news for all fans heading to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World Resort – the mobile order service is now available at select food and beverage locations within the newest galactic land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®.

Starting this week, guests can save time and skip the line to order their food at three new locations in Batuu using their My Disney Experience app.

The newest locations accepting mobile orders in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge include the Milk Stand and Ronto Roasters, which start today, and Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo starting tomorrow, Sept. 6, 2019.

Using the My Disney Experience app, guests can easily browse menus to order ahead from wherever they happen to be. Upon arriving at the restaurant or food location, guests can just tap “I’m Here” in the app and head to the designated pick-up counter where Cast Members will deliver their food. It’s a great way for guests to save time to enjoy all there is to see and do during their visit to Batuu.

Please note that using the mobile order service does not guarantee entry to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Ordering amazing meals ahead like Yobshrimp Noodle Salad, Smoked Kaadu Ribs, Ronto Wrap, or Blue Milk (or Green Milk!) is now as easy as just a few taps in the My Disney Experience app.

It’s September 5 – or 9/5 – a date that’s become known as Lightning McQueen Day, when we celebrate the legendary Piston Cup champion from Disney and Pixar’s “Cars.” And what better day to highlight Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy, the all-new high-octane show that debuted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® earlier this year at Walt Disney World® Resort.

Disney Parks Live Entertainment worked closely with partners at Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering to create the show, which tells a completely new story that puts you right in the middle of the world of “Cars.” It’s a thrilling adventure, with Guests in the role of rookie racer, as Lightning McQueen showcases some of what he’s learned over the years. Of course, as McQueen has discovered throughout his career, things don’t always go according to plan, and he has to think fast to get back on course. Friends like Mater, Cruz Ramirez and other pals from Radiator Springs chime in with their support, as Lightning gears up for the challenge.

Like other Pixar productions, Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy also includes a handful of Easter Eggs, rewarding sharp-eyed viewers and repeat visitors. If they look close, your Clients just might spot the Pizza Planet truck, which, after appearing in Pixar’s first-ever feature film, “Toy Story” (released in 1995, inspiring Lightning McQueen’s number), has appeared in every Pixar feature since. Another blink-and-miss-it reference is “A-113,” for the classroom at California Institute of the Arts where many Disney and Pixar animators studied their craft. There’s also a Hidden Mickey somewhere in the show, but we won’t “leak” that one. Your Clients will have to go and find it for themselves!

Be sure you race on over to Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy for some high-octane fun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

The annual Epcot® International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World® Resort invites Guests to immerse themselves in the visual, culinary and performing arts in ways that only Disney can offer, including live concerts and art performances, workshops, art signings and much more. Today, we’re happy to share that this popular festival will return to the park Jan. 17-Feb. 24, 2020.

One highlight of the festival is the Disney on Broadway Concert Series, in which Disney on Broadway stars pair up to perform their favorite songs from award-winning productions at the America Gardens Theatre. We’re happy to confirm that the Disney on Broadway Concert Series will again return to the park nightly during the festival. 

In addition to Epcot International Festival of the Arts offerings, you visiting during the festival will also be able to enjoy fun new film experiences in World Showcase. As previously announced, the new “Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along” will debut in January 2020 in the France pavilion in addition to Impressions de France. This new sing-along adventure is directed by Don Hahn, producer of both the animated and live-action versions of this tale as old as time. “Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360” will debut in January 2020 in the Canada pavilion with new scenes and a new story. The Land pavilion will welcome a new film, “Awesome Planet,” in January 2020 showcasing the beauty, diversity and dynamic story of the planet.

And of course, you will be able to cap off their day by taking in the new nighttime show “Epcot Forever,” which debuts Oct. 1, 2019. The show will be an all-new spectacle of fireworks, music, lighting, lasers and choreographed special-effect kites that will take guests on a journey through the past, present and future of Epcot. Before this amazing new show debuts, don’t forget to bid a fond farewell to “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” before it closes on Sept. 30, 2019.

There are new eats and treats coming to the Downtown Disney® District at the Disneyland® Resort!

Coming this holiday season is Asian Street Eats by Chef Hung Huynh, a new concept from Earl Enterprises, the same restaurant group that brings you Earl of Sandwich and other popular eateries. This trendy take-out window will serve a flavorful variety of Asian dishes and will be located on the west end of the Downtown Disney District – the eatery’s first location in Orange County.

Jamba Juice has fresh news of its own! Recently, Jamba Juice announced a more simplified name – Jamba – to better reflect its menu of smoothies, juices and bowls catering to a broad spectrum of tastes. The name change is part of a larger modernization of its store design coming to the Downtown Disney District.

Jamba will close for renovations later this year to make way for the new look in early 2020, inspired by Jamba’s California juice-shop roots. Modern touches of light wood and colorful environmental elements will create the perfect backdrop for your favorite menu items.  Look for digital menus and an even better online ordering experience through the new Jamba mobile app with in-store “grab-and-go” coolers for seamless online order pick-up.

Jamba first opened in San Luis Obispo, Calif., in 1990 as a little juice shop with a big idea: that eating better should be easy. For nearly 30 years, Jamba has led the way in creating and defining the smoothie and juice category as we know it. 

The addition of Asian Street Eats and the updated Jamba are fresh examples of the enhanced dining you are sure to enjoy in the Downtown Disney District. 

Whether your Clients want to grab a quick and tasty beverage or bite before or after their day in the parks, or sit, rest and relax with an amazing meal, make sure they don’t miss a stop along the Downtown Disney District!

When you think of photo opportunities at Walt Disney World® Resort, your first thought is probably of iconic photo spots like in front of Cinderella Castle or the Tree of Life.  

But there are so many other ways for guests to commemorate their visit – including professional studio photography offered by Disney PhotoPass Service.  

There are actually three Disney PhotoPass Studios guests can visit: at the Marketplace at Disney Springs®, Sir Mickey’s at Magic Kingdom® Park, and on the second floor of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. 

The studios at Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa offer guests the opportunity to capture photos in front of a standard backdrop, while the studio at Disney Springs offers both a standard backdrop and a wide variety of Disney-themed virtual backdrops. 

While these studios are a favorite among princesses and knights who have been transformed at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, all Guests are welcome to take photos at these locations! No reservations are required. 

With a standard backdrop, photographers snap classic portrait photos that just beg to be framed! While guests never need an excuse to visit, this is also a great way to mark special occasions like a birthday or graduation. 

The virtual backdrops available exclusively at the Disney Springs studio provide a unique experience to capture family photos with a fun Disney twist. There are even festive virtual backdrops that make for excellent Christmas card photos!  

Whether guests include the whole family or have a solo photoshoot, Disney PhotoPass photographers will make sure they capture the picture-perfect snap to share with family and friends. 

This fall, from Sept. 6-Nov. 3, guests at the Disneyland Resort will enjoy special seasonal experiences inspired by Día de los Muertos at both Disney California Adventure Park and Disneyland Park. These festivities and displays are inspired by the tradition and spirit of Día de los Muertos, which celebrates loved ones who have passed while honoring familial bonds that last forever. This year, guests will enjoy new celebratory elements, from a photo moment with the whimsical, handcrafted Miguel from “A Musical Celebration of Coco” at Plaza de la Familia, to special new Día de los Muertos merchandise and food offerings.

At Disney California Adventure

Plaza de la Familia, a limited-time festivity at the Paradise Gardens area of the park, celebrates Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award®-winning film “Coco” and the everlasting bonds of family. Guests visiting Plaza de la Familia will enjoy an immersive celebration that includes live entertainment with storytelling, folklórico dancers and mariachi musicians, delicious Mexican fare and interactive experiences such as a craft to make colorful masks like the ones seen in the “Coco” film.

“A Musical Celebration of Coco”: A festive show by the entertaining Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia celebrates the popular songs from the film “Coco,” including the Oscar^®-winning Best Original Song “Remember Me.” As the lead storyteller Mateo recounts Miguel’s fantastical journey into the Land of the Dead, guests are immersed in the story of “Coco.” Miguel appears as a whimsical, hand-animated dimensional figure, joining a musical gathering that brings together a lively troupe of singers and folklórico dancers dressed in beautiful costumes accompanied by the Grammy® Award-winning Mariachi Divas. “A Musical Celebration of Coco” is performed several times daily.

New this year, guests will have the opportunity to take photos and make new memories with Miguel, when he and his performer appear between shows at a beautiful artistic mural entitled, “Recuérdame” (“Remember Me”). Named after the iconic song from the film, “Coco,” the evocative mural depicts the themes touched on by the Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia in “A Musical Celebration of Coco” and celebrates Miguel’s beloved family in Santa Cecilia and the Land of the Dead.

At the Paradise Gardens Bandstand, guests will enjoy an uplifting and moving family celebration featuring beloved Mariachi music and traditional songs that touch the hearts of all. The Mariachi Divas and Mariachi Espectacular are two groups scheduled to appear live on stage throughout Plaza de la Familia.

Fun Activities: Guests are invited to take commemorative photos in front of the iconic Mexican “Árbol de la Vida,” or Tree of Life. Guests will be able to add a remembrance note on the Memory Wall to honor the many loved ones who have been − and will forever be − part of their lives. The Tree of Life overflows with images, colors and symbols. From its branches sprout flowers, animals and multiple characters that may be inspired by different evocative themes.

Additionally, guests visiting Plaza de la Familia can design their own paper “alebrije” (spirit guide) mask of Pepita or Dante as part of a craft activity. “Alebrijes” are small figurines of fantastical creatures, which feature a whimsical mix of the physical elements of many different animals. In the film “Coco,” the spirit guides that are prevalent in the Land of the Dead are living representations of these magical animals, and they serve as loyal companions.

Mouthwatering Mexican Food: The Mexican menu at Paradise Garden Grill features delicious offerings such as the traditional tamale plate, pollo verde wet burrito, a scrumptious pan dulce Conchita and special “Coco” cake.

More Día de los Muertos in Cars Land 
Guests who cruise into Cars Land will find that Ramone, one of the citizens of Cars Land, also pays tribute to Día de los Muertos at Ramone’s House of Body Art. Ramone celebrates this time when families gather to remember their loved ones with a traditional “ofrenda” display honoring the gone, but not forgotten, Doc Hudson.

At Disneyland

Disneyland Park continues to offer its traditional Día de los Muertos display at Zócalo Park in Frontierland. To commemorate the occasion, this immersive setting features marigolds and papel picado, along with a traditional “ofrenda,” sugar skulls known as “cavaleras” and an iconic figure of La Catrina. Nearby Rancho del Zócalo Restaurante offers delicious Mexican cuisine for lunch and dinner.

For more information about attractions, entertainment and vacations at the Disneyland Resort, please visit Disneyland.com.

The Walt Disney Company, led by Disney Cruise Line, has committed more than $1 million in cash and in-kind support to help relief and recovery efforts for those in The Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian.

“The Walt Disney Company stands with the people of The Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company.  “We hope our $1 million donation will provide much-needed relief and help our neighbors, colleagues, and all those impacted by this devastating storm begin the long process of recovery as they work to put their lives and communities back together.”

Disney’s commitment includes a $1 million donation to non-profit relief agencies who will be undertaking recovery and rebuilding efforts, as well as the provision of supplies – including food staples and basic construction materials – to those in impacted areas.

Additionally, Disney employees with immediate needs in impacted areas of The Bahamas will have access to a range of resources. Disney Castaway Cay, which experienced only tropical force strength winds, employs more than 60 Bahamians from Abaco and Grand Bahama, as well as several employees from other Bahamian islands.

“The Bahamas is such a special place to us and our guests, and we have watched the devastation created by Hurricane Dorian with concern and heartache,” Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Cruise Line said. “We stand with the Bahamian people, and especially those in Abaco and Grand Bahama, as they recover from the worst storm to ever make landfall in The Bahamas. As the needs in these communities are assessed, we are prepared to aid the relief and recovery efforts through funding, the provision of supplies and by providing support to our Bahamian Crew Members.”

Disney continues to monitor Hurricane Dorian and will coordinate on an ongoing basis with nonprofit organizations on emergency response efforts. This includes sharing lifesaving information with families before and during emergencies, prepositioning supplies at-the-ready to respond rapidly to natural disasters, and providing resources to activate large-scale responses as needed in the event of a disaster.

With more than four decades of films, television series, novels, comic books, video games and more, Star Wars has a deep history that has inspired generations of devoted fans. In creating Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Walt Disney Imagineers and Lucasfilm were driven to fulfill the dreams of anyone who ever imagined visiting this galaxy far, far away by telling new stories that feel authentically Star Wars.

When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens Aug. 29, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, guests will find a land filled with rich details meticulously researched and crafted by Imagineers and Lucasfilm. Though the planet Batuu and its Black Spire Outpost may be new to fans, this setting offers a genuine Star Wars experience for all who enter as they discover a plethora of hidden gems and other details drawn from across the galaxy.

Hidden Gems to Look for in the Land

• While Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is set during the current trilogy of Star Wars films, the land features elements representing many different eras of the Star Wars Examples include:
  • Several creatures seen throughout the land will be familiar to some fans, such as the dianoga from the Death Star trash compactor in “Star Wars: A New Hope” found in a tank above a Black Spire Outpost drinking fountain, or the taxidermic wampa from the ice planet Hoth in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” in Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities.
  • A podracing engine in the Ronto Roasters food stall calls back to “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” while the former smelter droid turning the spit of meats is similar to a droid seen in Jabba the Hutt’s palace in “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.”
  • A mural on the wall of Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities depicts an ancient battle between the light and dark sides of the Force. The original bas-relief of this mural was seen in Chancellor Palpatine’s office in “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.”
  • Hondo Ohnaka, best known from the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels” animated television series, gives guests their mission in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
• Batuu’s landscape is dotted with tall petrified tree trunks, and Black Spire Outpost takes its name from a trunk in the center of the village that is darker than all the others.
• Imagineers took rubbings from the feet of the R2-D2 droid used in “Star Wars: A New Hope” and turned those into a set of three-dimensional wheels. Then they built a trolley with those wheels and rolled it through the land before the concrete pathways fully dried to leave behind authentic droid tracks that guests might spot as they explore the outpost.

It’s All About the Story

• One reason Imagineers set Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on a planet never before seen in the Star Wars universe was to give everyone a chance to step into the story at their own levels – whether a guest is a lifelong Star Wars fan or has never watched a Star Wars film, everyone will be seeing Batuu for the first time.
• Batuu and its residents are starting to appear in and inspire other Star Wars stories:
  • Both Black Spire Outpost and Dok-Ondar were referenced in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
  • Characters in the Timothy Zahn novel “Thrawn: Alliances” visit Oga’s Cantina.
  • “Star Wars: Pirate’s Price,” a young-adult novel by Lou Anders, details a previous trip Hondo Ohnaka made to Batuu.
  • A five-issue Marvel comics series, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, debuted in April and delves into some of the famous antiquities found in Dok-Ondar’s shop on Batuu.
  • Released Aug. 6, 2019, “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – A Crash of Fate” by Zoraida Cordova is a young-adult novel about two childhood friends from Batuu who are reunited later in life and have a series of adventures.
  • “Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire,” a novel by Delilah S. Dawson set for release Aug. 27, 2019, tells the story of Vi Moradi, Leia Organa’s top spy who chooses Batuu for the Resistance’s secret command post (guests may encounter Vi as they explore Black Spire Outpost).
• During Star Wars Celebration 2019, April 11-15 in Chicago, many attendees who visited the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge booth recorded video testimonials sharing their personal Star Wars These videos were embedded into a Jedi holocron that is now inside Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.

Attention to Detail 

• The land was designed with sightlines that evoke cinematic angles. Guests begin with views of wide vistas, then as they explore deeper into the land, their field of vision narrows into tighter spaces – like zooming in for a close-up.
• In developing props and other décor for the land, Imagineers tried whenever possible to use pre-1980 materials to best capture the look and feel of the props in the first Star Wars films (“Star Wars: A New Hope” was released in 1977).
• To create the look of an older Hondo Ohnaka and properly capture the pirate’s personality for his Audio-Animatronics figure in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Walt Disney Imagineering consulted the character’s creator, Dave Filoni.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened May 31, 2019, at Disneyland Park in California.